CRISPR-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Under One Hour

A team of researchers from the labs of Zhang, Gootenberg, and Abudayyeh at MIT and Harvard have unveiled a swift technique for identifying SARS-CoV-2. Utilizing their Cas12-based SHERLOCK system, the test yields results in under an hour and boasts sensitivity comparable to the widely used reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) tests for COVID-19. Their findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

CRISPR Treats a Form of Molecular Dystrophy in Mice

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a hereditary muscular dystrophy that leads to muscle degeneration, weakness, eye clouding, and irregular heartbeats. This condition results from CTG microsatellite repeat expansions in the DMPK gene. A recent study in Nature Biomedical Engineering employed a mouse model of DM1, where researchers used viral vectors carrying an RNA-targeting version of Cas9 to silence the faulty repeats, effectively alleviating DM1 symptoms in the subjects. More information can be found in the UCSD press release.

Transplanted Stem Cells Produce the Perfect Sperm

Farmers have been perfecting breeding techniques for generations, aiming for the ideal livestock. Artificial insemination has long been a favored method, allowing for the introduction of sperm from desirable males into females. A new study published in PNAS demonstrates that stem cells implanted in mice, pigs, goats, and cattle can generate sperm from genetically favorable donors. This breakthrough means that previously sterile males can now produce sperm with the DNA of superior sires. For further insights, refer to the article in The Scientist.

Software Helps Design Encrypted DNA

As researchers share DNA or if an organism escapes from its containment, it becomes crucial to trace the origin of the DNA. With the low cost of DNA synthesis, there is a strong demand for encryption methods that securely link a genetic sequence to its source. A study published in ACS Synthetic Biology introduces software capable of generating encrypted digital signatures to embed within a DNA plasmid. These "signed" plasmids can subsequently be ordered from DNA synthesis companies or constructed from individual DNA segments.

A Genetic Circuit Reduces Burden in Mammalian Cells

Cells possess finite resources, with numerous processes competing for them at any moment, from DNA replication to protein synthesis. When synthetic biologists introduce additional DNA, these resources become further strained. A recent study in Nature Communications tackles this challenge by showcasing a genetic circuit known as an "incoherent feedforward loop" (iFFL), which can alleviate cellular burden and maintain the expression levels of genes of interest, despite the resource constraints imposed by transgene constructs. For more details, read the article by Mustafa Khammash.

More research & reviews worth your time:

• Recent findings reveal that what were thought to be 700 essential genes in yeast may include 124 that are actually non-essential (Molecular Systems Biology). Open Access.
• A newly developed CRISPR homing gene drive spreads rapidly among flies without any observed evolution of resistance (PNAS). A similar study was also shared as a preprint this week (bioRxiv). Open Access.
• In cell-free systems, linear DNA is susceptible to degradation. A study investigates enzymes that can safeguard linear DNA, proving effective in five distinct bacterial cell-free systems (ACS Synthetic Biology).
• Consistency in measuring bacterial cells using optical density readings is examined in the new iGEM Interlab study (Communications Biology). Open Access.
• Cleveland Clinic scientists present plans for an affordable, automated device designed for bacterial culturing, suitable for evolution experiments, suggesting it could be accessible to high school students (bioRxiv). Open Access.
• A preprint from Steve Quake’s team outlines a “low-cost, semi-automated pipeline for extracting cell-free RNA” (bioRxiv). Open Access.
• A mini-review discusses strategies for integrating living and synthetic cells for various bioengineering applications (Angewandte Chemie). Open Access.
• Prime editing's capacity for genetic modifications is systematically evaluated in a new study that focuses on off-target effects (Nucleic Acids Research). Open Access.
• New insights into engineering encapsulins — protein compartments that can spatially organize proteins within a cell — are presented in a recent review (Biotechnology and Bioengineering).
• A new preprint details the genetic engineering of the gut-associated bacterium Serratia symbiotica CWBI-2.3T found in blackflies (bioRxiv). Open Access.
• A study utilizing small nanobodies to attract chromatin regulators to specific mammalian genes is now available as a preprint (bioRxiv). Open Access.
• Despite the advantages of red fluorescent proteins, a new study employs noncanonical amino acids to enhance the phototoxicity and tissue penetration of fluorescent proteins (Nature Chemical Biology).
• The Dunlop lab utilized single-cell time-lapse microscopy to analyze gene expression and growth in E. coli, employing fifteen fluorescent reporters to investigate stress response genetics and survival variability among cells (bioRxiv). Open Access.